Breaking the Ice
by LucifersHalo
Summary: Needing some place safe, Max heads to the penthouse during her first heat back in Seattle. Virus Included.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Breaking the Ice

Part: 1/5

Fandom: Dark Angel

Pairing: Max/Logan

Rating: NC17/M

Timeline: Mid Season 2

Summary: Needing some place safe, Max heads to the penthouse during her first heat back in Seattle. Virus Included.

Author's Note: Playing around on the Wayback Time Machine, found my old website with a bunch of old fics I'd never posted to my profile here. I figured before they're lost to the world, I'd add them to my profile... written circa 2001, not sure why I never posted it back then when the rest of my Dark Angel stuff is up here.. but oh well - I may not be 25 any more, but hey, the story still held up when I read it tonight. Hope y'all enjoy.

~~~?~~~

Breaking the Ice  
Part One

The time had come. Max had been dreading her first heat cycle back in Seattle after the whole blow up with the virus and the addition of Rafer, Alec and Asha into the disastrously screwed up drama that was her life. And yet, here she stood, her body trembling from head to foot, her core burning and damp from thought alone, her head spinning and stomach churning.

She paced her apartment, starting in her room until she decided that staring at her warm, rumpled bed wasn't going to bring her peace of mind. She paced her living room, until she realized that every last trinket Logan had given her over the years was screaming silently for her to go to him. She took a cold shower, until the cool streams of water turned into Logan's cool fingers and her body heated once more.

She was burning up, and she had nowhere to go.

Her eyes flicked to her phone and she thought about calling Rafer, but doing that to him twice in a lifetime was more than she could handle. The last time she gave into her heat and boffed Rafer brainless, she'd ended up in her shower, her heart breaking as she realized exactly what she'd done to Logan. Logan'd been caring enough to forgive her, and claimed he understood, but to repeat such a blatant betrayal even in the current state of their relationship would be the end of everything. Rafer was completely, totally out of the question.

She moved to the window and stared out, switching her weight tensely from foot to foot. Alec was out there somewhere, and Max had no doubt that he'd take great pleasure in helping her through her cycle, but then he'd never let her live it down afterward. Ten years from then, if she let Alec live that long, he'd still be throwing it in her face that she needed him because the other men in her life were at the moment useless. Max could put up with a lotta shit from the people around her, but giving Alec further ammunition in his already too full bag was more than she could stomach.

Some nameless hotboy off the streets was no longer an option, either. Max had come to the conclusion on that last night with Rafer, that if it came down to her death or her seeing that look of hurt on Logan's face again, she'd gladly plummet from the tallest building, no strings attached.

She had no choice. Original Cindy had hooked up with a lickety chick from Crash and hadn't come home, so Max had no one to watch her back. Work was out of the question cause Max knew she'd end up riding Sketchy, Normal or Alec for all they were worth ten minutes after walking through the door. She needed to get out of the apartment before someone knocked on her door to borrow something and found themselves with a hell of a lot more than they bargained for. There was only one place she could go and know that even if she didn't want it, she'd be safe.

Her baby knew the roads as if she too had a heart and was leading Max towards safety. There was no wobble in her balance, no delay in her acceleration, no escape from the thrum of her body between Max's legs. She led Max unerringly towards Logan, towards the one man that couldn't help her, couldn't do more than keep her contained, couldn't bring about regrets.

Max was dressed in a pair of Cindy's overalls, probably the safest piece of clothing she could find. With all the straps and buckles, not to mention buttons, she'd have a hell of a time getting out of her clothes quickly. Time enough to ease in some measure of rational thought. She only had a black tank top on underneath of the overalls, and her black leather jacket thrown on over top. Her hair was pulled back into a tight braid that lay lightly over her shoulder, and military boots covered her feet. All in all, she felt it was safe to ride the tiny, too warm lift up to Logan's penthouse. She felt it was safe to sit in his cozy living room, watching him do his every night things, knowing no matter how bad it hurt, she couldn't use him to satisfy her needs.

Not wanting to end up having to pass him when he opened the door, Max picked the lock silently and walked into the penthouse. Once inside, however, she groaned. The sound of feminine laughter arose from the living room making Max's stomach turn. /She just has to be here. The one time I *needed* Logan alone, the wannabe bitch just HAS to be here!/ Max plastered a fake smile onto her face and leaned against the doorframe, trying to appear relaxed.

"Is this a private party or can anyone join in?"

Logan looked up and smiled at her slightly. "Hey, Max."

Now more than ever, Logan's return to the casual was like a slap in the face. Ever since she got back, he'd been reserved. She rarely was the recipient of one of his mind numbing smiles, those blue eyes of his never sparkled for her anymore, and, God, did she miss the feel of his fingers on her skin. She'd trade her soul for one real smile, and the whisper of his touch as he brushed her hair out of her face. Instead, she faced brick walls of protection, snapped words, and luke warm greetings.

Life sucked.

"Logan. Asha. Am I interrupting?" Max's eyes trailed to the half empty wine glasses and recently used plates that decorated Logan's coffee table.

Logan stood and softly licked his lips. "Uh, not at all. Actually, Asha was just leaving, right?" He turned to look at the blonde, his expression unreadable.

Asha paused, blinking at the obvious dismissal Logan had just tossed at her feet. Her eyes blazed hurt and jealousy as she gathered her belongings and pushed her way past Max.

"Later, Asha." Max carefully kept the callous victory she felt coursing through her body from showing on her face, but the blonde was more than aware of the feeling.

"Max."

Max waited only seconds after the door had closed before making her way deeper into Logan's living room. He had begun clearing away the evidence of his dinner with Asha, raising his eyebrow at Max's flushed skin as he passed her by.

"What can I do for you, Max?" He asked, quietly, as he returned and settled into a chair across from her.

/Ever read Karma Sutra? Baby, you can start on page one and work your way through./

Max smiled and shrugged, concentrating on taking slow, even breaths as she watched his tongue moisten his lips. "Cindy's got a girl, Sketchy 'n Alec are suddenly best buds, and Rafer's on duty or some shit tonight. Thought maybe you'd want some company that didn't have blonde hair."

Logan sighed. "You really don't like Asha, do you?"

Again Max shrugged. "Girl rubs me wrong, but it's no big." /Anyway *you* wanna rub me would be perfect./

"We've never really spoken about her. Or Rafer." Logan refused to meet her gaze, instead turning to look out his darkened window.

"Is there anything to say?" Max shifted, biting her lip as her eyes focused on Logan's neck, wondering exactly what sounds would slip past his beautiful lips if she were to trail little nibbling kisses from his jaw to his adam's apple.

"You know we have to talk about this sometime. Not just Asha and Rafer, but all of it. The way we've been treating each other. The virus. Our life."

Max's hands slid down her sides to rest on her thighs, gripping her legs tightly as she ground her teeth to keep from crawling into Logan's lap. "'Till this bitch is kicked, what's the sense? Isn't gonna make a difference if I say Rafer is just a hotboy 'n he doesn't mean a damn thing to me, 'cause when I should be out with him, or thinking about him, the only thing on my mind is sneaking over here, crawling into your bed and waking you up with a kiss you'd never forget."

Logan swallowed hard and finally turned back to meet her burning gaze. "Max?"

"So tell me, Logan, if you really want to hash this out. How does Asha compare to Max? When you hear your door opening do you hope it's the blonde, or do you hope it's me?" She leaned forward, watching him closely, softly pulling her bottom lip between her teeth as she waited for his response.

"I spent a lot of time wishing you'd walk through that door while you were gone." He cleared his throat. "That hasn't changed."

"Then why the 'tude?"

"Would you rather I spend every day telling you how much I want to hold you? Kiss you? Make love to you until you scream my name?" His eyes flew up as a low growl met his ears and he realized her brown eyes had darkened to a near black, and her breathing was coming in short gasps. His tongue darted out once again, and again he heard her gasp and growl. It struck him then. "Oh, shit."

"Keep talkin', Logan."

"Max, why are you here?"

She lifted an eyebrow and leaned back on a sigh. "I think you already know. Now talk to me."

"Say the words first."

She groaned and ran a hand through her hair. "Goddamnit! Why do you always have to be so stubborn?"

"Say them!"

She met the intensity of his gaze, and her throat issued an unnamable sound. "I'm in heat again, okay?"

He groaned and shook his head, his eyes filling with pain. "Why did you come here?"

She snapped, climbing to her feet and pacing the room as she repeatedly ran her fingers through her hair. She spun once, then again, trying to choose a direction that didn't lead towards Logan, and danger. She collapsed back onto the sofa when she realized that pacing wasn't going to solve her problems. When she spoke her voice was ice cold, tinged by sharp desperation. "I needed some place safe! I don't want to screw us up 'cause Manticore got giddy 'n wanted me on my hands and knees six days a year! 'N since I can't do anything without killing you no matter how bad I wanna fuck that stupid grin off your face, I'm gonna sit here and you're gonna damn well tell me every last thing you wanna do to me, or I'm gonna end up goin' out there 'n making a big goddamn mistake! So unless you want me banging the gong with Rafer fifteen minutes from now, SAY SOMETHING!"

He watched her chest rise and fall with the force of her exclamation, listened to her breathing run heavy past her lips, and smothered a groan at the dark burning that clouded her longing gaze. "Talking about what we can't do isn't going to help you, Max."

A half frustrated, half disgusted look crossed her face, and she laid back on the sofa, covering her eyes. "You're not going to help me?"

"I didn't say that."

"Then what are you saying, Logan? 'Cause my brain's a little screwed at the moment, 'n you'll have to forgive me when I can't put your male minded babbles into coherent sentences."

"Would you like something to eat or drink?"

She blinked, lowering her arm to see him standing over her. "Huh?"

"I'm going to help you, but we're going to sit back and think this over rationally. You need a shower. I need a drink. Do you want me to make you something in the meantime?"

"Fine. Whatever." Max climbed to her feet and stormed into his bathroom, turning the shower on and stripping down frantically. When she stepped under the water she hissed, the icy coldness of the liquid making her gasp and jump, but she forced herself to remain submerged. The cold water sluiced down over her body, cooling off the burning in her blood, sharpening her fog-encased mind.

/What are you doing, Max?/ She rested her head against the cool tiles of the shower wall, ignoring the shivers running through her body. /We're beating our heads against the walls we've built and all we're doing is damaging ourselves. You gotta get outta here girl, before he hates you for life./

A little voice whispered to her that if he truly loved her he'd understand and accept what she needed from him in the next 48 hours.

/But whoever said Logan loved me? Not Logan, that's for sure./

"Max?"

She sighed as his voice carried past the closed door.

"What?"

"When you've cooled down enough, I've left a few sandwiches and a bottle of wine on the kitchen table. I need to finish a broadcast, and then we'll talk again."

/Talk. All we ever do is talk, Logan. When are we going to act?/

"Whatever."

She took her time climbing out of the shower, whimpering softly as she dried herself off, the slight roughness of the towel making her gasp as it rubbed against her too sensitive skin. She moved slowly, dragging out the process as long as possible, enjoying the lesser feelings of arousal that she knew would soon be full fledged flames once again. Heat or not, her body always caught fire as soon as she set eyes on Logan Cale.

Wrapped only in the towel, Max moved into Logan's bedroom. To hell with the overalls and buttons and clasps. There was nothing she could do with Logan, so she may as well be comfortable. Digging through his drawers, she pulled out one of his old sweatshirts and a pair of boxers, slipping into the worn clothing, and taking his scent in deeply.

She rested on the corner of his bed, calming her breathing for long minutes, before Max found the strength to walk into the next room. She could hear the sound of typing coming from Logan's study, but instead she turned for the kitchen. She knew that Logan meant safety, but for now she wasn't eager to continue the conversation they'd started earlier. He was right; talking about what they couldn't do only served to rev her up and leave her hanging. That's not what she wanted or needed from him. Not then, not ever.

It took a moment before she realized that she was there out of comfort as much as safety; even if she spent forty of the next forty-eight hours under a stream of cold water, it would be worth it. At the penthouse she could keep control. There would be no temptation, no betrayal, and no irreversible harm. She'd be true to Logan, even if it killed them both in the process.

~~~TBC~~~


	2. Chapter 2

Breaking the Ice  
Part Two

True to Logan's word, he'd left large, delicious looking sandwiches waiting on the island in his kitchen. Max growled with pleasure as she took a bite out of one, the two thick pieces of French bread spread wide by the sheer amount of meats and veggies stuffed in between. Leave it to Logan to make even a simple sandwich a gourmet meal.

It never ceased to amaze Max how well Logan knew her. She quivered uncontrollably when he gave her that amused chuckle and shake of his head whenever she asked him for something to eat. It used to render him speechless when she could eat an entire medium pizza by herself and eye the last piece of his with desire. 'Course that was all before she'd returned from Manticore. Since her return, he'd rarely laughed with her, instead preferring to spend his time wrapped up in Eyes Only, or Asha. Max couldn't even put her finger on the last time he'd really smiled at her. Instead of smiles, she got cold distance. Instead of caring help, she was rewarded with slim accusations. Instead of teasing, she was snapped at. Nothing in their relationship was easy anymore, not even dinner.

Max guessed the theoretical "they" was right when they said you could never really go home.

Max sighed. Logan's attitude was one of the main reasons, besides their physical restraints, that let Max know she was safe in the penthouse. Not only couldn't they do anything to ease the burning in her body, she doubted Logan would actually want to. Even after his exclamation earlier, she couldn't bring herself to believe that Logan still wanted her, physically. They shared none of the close, comfortable friendship they once had, and the insane level of sexual tension that used to spice up their relationship was completely non-existent. Instead, Asha existed in the place Max used to own, and the genetically engineered beauty hated it. Max wasn't kidding herself, though; she understood the bug up Logan's ass.

He'd spent months alone after watching her die in his arms, not being able to shake the feeling that Max was alive out there somewhere. She'd hung onto the fantasy that when she got out, she'd come back to his penthouse, find him wrapped up in his thoughts of her, and fall into his arms. He'd hung onto the fantasy that Max would show up one hour deep in the night and they'd finally get around to making love, and their lives would be back on the right track. Manticore screwed those fantasies up for them both with the introduction of the retrovirus, and even for super heroes and cyber journalists, the loss of such a fantasy was more than just a slap in the face. How do you deal with your life standing two feet away from you, and no matter how hard you try, you can't touch?

If he'd dealt with it and gotten over it, Max would have been fighting a lot harder to overcome their issues, but her problem now stood with his childish behavior of the last months. No matter what he said, Logan Cale, the great and powerful Eyes Only, was sulking because he couldn't have what he wanted.

What was going on now was no different from when he was paralyzed. He couldn't walk, so he threw himself into his work, and hated himself. Now he can't have what they were leading up to before she'd been taken back to Manticore, and he's starting the whole thing all over again. Unsurpassable barriers, misdirected anger, and doing everything possible to drive her out of his life once and for all.

Well, damnit, Max wasn't going to put up with it much longer, and that wasn't just the heat talking. She wanted everything Logan had dreamed of, just as badly as Logan, himself. She wanted the gentle nights making love as well as rabid sessions of immediate gratification against a wall or on the floor, she wanted the quiet dinners, the touches without any conscious meaning, their chess games, and their insane arguments about nothing. She wanted her life with Logan. Yeah, and having that ripped out of her hands pissed her off just as much as it had the all powerful Eyes Only. As mad as she was, however, she had been willing to fight to find a cure, but Logan just didn't seem to care anymore. So what was the point?

Max poured herself a glass of wine and moved into the living room, settling down by the window to stare out over the dark city, wondering if it would have been better for them both if she'd stayed in Manticore, or not returned to Seattle when she got out. Logan didn't need her, not with the annoying blonde butting in every day.

She curled her feet up under her body, and stared up at the sky, trying to ignore the sounds of Logan in the next room. Her heat would be bad soon, another hour or two she would be climbing the walls unless she found something to take the edge off. As it stood, her free fingers unconsciously stroked her bare knee as she sipped her wine slowly. Maybe this had been a mistake. Maybe she should have just gone and hooked up with Rafer or Alec. Maybe things would be simpler if she just gave up on the fantasy.

Logan walked out of the study and leaned against the doorframe, watching the different emotions flash across Max's face in the dim light by the window. She raised her head and met his gaze, shivering under his close watch, her body instantly reacting to his presence. She sighed in defeat. Nothing had ever been simple for her in the past; obviously nothing had changed in that department.

Logan walked closer to Max, standing next to her, joining her in looking out the window. Max's nostrils flared as she caught his scent, breathing in him, and shifting inches closer. Her heartbeat quickened, her body tensed, and her fingers stretched out to softly pick at an invisible fiber on his jeans.

At first he didn't notice, still having little to no feeling in his legs, even wearing the exosuit. The slight pressure of her touch meant nothing to his deadened flesh. Then he glanced down. His first instinct was to jump away, they were treading into dangerous territory they could do nothing about, but instead he allowed her caress. With Sebastian's help, they'd realized that the virus was only activated when her skin came in contact with his own, initiating the jump from her infected RNA to his vulnerable DNA. Although he was denied the pleasure of stroking her soft flesh, even in the smallest gesture of brushing her hair from her face, at least they weren't at a complete physical by-pass.

He allowed her the contact for a few moments, the silence between them stretching long but no longer uncomfortable. Finally, he stepped away. "Are we going to talk, or sit here in silence for the next two days?"

Max whimpered softly, missing even the smallest bit of intimacy that they could share. She climbed to her feet and followed him back to the sofa, sitting closer then they'd been in the previous months, and yet still too far for her over heated body to be satisfied. "I'm not in the mood to talk, Logan."

He raised his eyebrow. "Obviously." As crass as it sounded, even in his mind, Logan was not unaware of her state of arousal. Her scent lingered in the room, infecting his mind with visions of what could never be. He softly chewed his lip, clenching his fists as the desire to kiss her became almost overwhelming. "Max," He swallowed hard. "This.. this is getting difficult."

She turned to him, her eyes pleading. "You said you'd help me. Please?"

"It's not that easy. The virus..."

"I'm more than aware of the virus, Logan! Damnit, you think I want to be here wanting you? This isn't my idea of a good time, you know!"

"Then why did you come?"

"I told you!"

His voice turned cold. "You think I'm safe."

She sighed, her brows furrowing together as she resisted the urge to smash something valuable. "Can't touch you without killing you. Makes you safe in my books."

Logan's eyes suddenly sparked, and for the first time in what seemed like forever, he grinned. "You're right. You can't touch me."

Max blinked, her eyes flashing hurt. "You don't have to sound so damned happy about it."

He grinned wider. "No, you don't get it. You can't touch me, but I'm not the one in heat."

She groaned, bringing her knees up so that she could bury her face against them. "What does it matter? I can't touch you, you can't touch me. Kinda goes without saying."

Logan climbed to his feet, rolling his eyes. "I used to think you had imagination, Max." He began to walk out of the living room, heading towards the bathroom. "Give me ten minutes, and we're going to help you." He paused. "But don't think you're getting out of the talk. We have two days together, we're going to get around to the conversation at some point."

She listened to him opening and closing doors in his bathroom and frowned, wondering exactly what he was up to. He entered his bedroom and she could hear him shuffling around, muttering quietly to himself. She got to her feet and walked through the penthouse, her curiosity getting the better of her. She didn't expect to find him standing in his bedroom doorway, frowning down at her.

"No peeking, Max."

The door closed quickly, and Max frowned harder. "This isn't funny, Logan!"

"Not meant to be!"

"What're you up to?"

"Gonna have to wait to find out."

"If you expect this to make me talk, it's not gonna work, whatever it is!"

The door opened slightly, and he stuck his head out. For the second time that night, he grinned, only this time his eyes were flashing wicked little glints of pleasure. "I told you, we'll play first, talk later. No matter what's happened between us, some things aren't going to change."

Max licked her suddenly too dry lips, and took a step back from Logan's devious expression that was making her heart skip beats. Still, she couldn't prevent the single word from escaping her throat. "Like?"

"Like how bad I want to make you scream."

With that he closed the door in her face, and the bedroom was blocked off from her view. Max stared at the door for a moment, shock crossing her features, before she too had to smile.

Whatever Logan had planned, Max had no doubt this heat would be more interesting, and satisfying, than any before.

She shivered, anticipation building in every nerve and fiber in her body. She bit her lower lip, and growled softly in the back of her throat.

"Soon," she whispered to herself, trying to calm her body.

She softly ran a finger down the door to Logan's bedroom before turning and heading back to the living room. As curious and revved up as she was, Max wasn't about to ruin Logan's surprise.

When he was being all boyish and mischievous, acting like the Logan she'd only just begun to uncover before she'd "died", Max knew she could wait forever.

~~~TBC~~~


	3. Chapter 3

Breaking the Ice  
Part Three

When Logan finally appeared, he found Max curled up on the sofa, her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles had turned white. He smiled down at her, softly, and knelt down next to the couch.

"Hey."

She gazed at him lovingly, reaching out and placing a hand against his sweater-covered chest. "Hey, yourself. My surprise ready?"

He shrugged innocently, and allowed his fingers to stroke her clothed wrist. "It is."

She growled softly, drawing her lower lip between her teeth, and her eyes grew dark and smoky. "Can we play now?"

He smiled, "Patience."

She groaned. "Logan! You said we could talk after!"

He chuckled softly, sitting on the coffee table as he kept her wrist firmly in his hand. His thumb was achingly gentle as he stroked her, wishing with all he was that it could be her flesh rather than the fabric over it he was touching. "And we will talk after, but, Max, look at me. Who is sitting across from you right this instant?"

"Logan." Her voice was a bare whisper as her mind concentrated on the gentle, longing contact of his thumb upon her wrist.

"And do you really think I'd be capable of just grabbing you and taking you without preamble?" His gaze darkened and he reached for her other arm, repeating the contact with her wrist.

She cleared her throat, and shook her head. "Guess not."

"I promise you I will take care of you tonight." His touch moved higher, caressing the soft inner flesh of her elbows. Her hands gripped his arms, holding them steady as her breathing picked up pace. His gaze was drawn to her chest, her breasts rising and falling with her every indrawn gasp. He smiled softly. "You're enjoying this as much as I am, Max. We're going to take this very slow."

She whimpered, gripping his arms harder. "Don't make me beg, Logan!" She hissed quietly, her hips moving in sharp motions in time with his fingers on her arms. "I don't want slow right now!"

"Too bad." His voice was firm, but teasing. "There's nothing you can do without running the risk of hurting me." His eyes glinted sharply. "I'm in charge tonight."

A sound that was a half groan half growl slipped past her lips, and Max's eyes darkened visibly when Logan's hands slid further up her arms to her shoulders, caressing there for a moment before sliding down to her breasts.

"You know, I'm going to fulfill every man's fantasy in the next hours," he whispered breathlessly, as his hands found her breasts and caressed her softly. Through the material of her shirt, his thumbs located her nipples, and slowly rolled over first one, then the other, listening to her whimper with pleasure.

Her voice broke as she tried to meet his gaze. "What fantasy, Logan?"

He grinned. "I'm going to have the most beautiful woman in the world at my mercy."

Her laugh was quick and sharp, ending on a quiet moan as his hands deepened their caress. "I'll pay you back for this one day, Logan Cale."

His eyebrows rose, and he chuckled. "I can only hope so, Max."

He backed away from her, delighting in the mewl of disappointment that met his ears. "Easy, babe. First, I need you to get changed."

"Changed?" She radiated confusion, but she didn't resist as he pulled on her sleeves, lifting her to her feet.

"Sorry, beautiful, but I have plans for tonight that don't involve an old pair of boxers and my sweatshirt." He grinned. "I have something out for you on the guest bed. When you're finished getting ready, meet me back out here."

"Logan!"

He laughed, his eyes twinkling. "You can stand here arguing and draw this out for another hour, or you can get changed. Your choice."

She sighed and made her way to the guest room. "Why'd you have to pick now to get male?" She called through the doorway.

"You never gave me the chance before!" His voice was full of laughter as it reached her, and Max shivered. It had been too long since she'd seen the lighter side of Logan Cale.

"When this virus bitch is kicked, you're so gonna regret tonight!" Her words were sharp, but the desperate tone in her voice belayed their meaning.

"When the virus is gone, Max, I'll be your willing slave. Are you getting dressed or glaring at the door?"

Max groaned and turned away from the door, flipping the light on in the room so that she could check out Logan's clothing choices. She giggled softly at the complete lack of feminine clothing that adorned the covers, and immediately wondered at his intentions for the night.

Shrugging, she dropped the boxers, and pulled on the black slacks, wrapping the leather belt Logan had included around her waist so that the pants would fit. Once the pants were on relatively comfortably, she pulled Logan's sweatshirt over her head, and instead slipped on the button down dress shirt he'd left for her. Having left her bra on the floor with the rest of her original clothing earlier when taking her shower, Max's breasts pressed free against the white cloth of the new shirt wantonly.

She chuckled softly, wondering if this had been the look Logan had been intending when he originally laid out the clothing, but pushed the thought out of her mind. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that soon Logan would be helping her ease away from the fire that was slowly burning her up from the inside out. Her blood boiled at his scent, her heart skipped beats at his thought, and her body screamed for his touch. She was quickly growing impatient, and leaving her feet uncovered, she padded quickly down the hall, back to the living room.

His soft smile greeted her immediately, and he held out a full glass of wine. She took the glass and moved back to her spot on the sofa, glancing at him in confusion.

"So what's with the threads?"

He shrugged. "You'll see." He grinned as her face fell and she chewed on her lower lip. Leave it to the world's smallest action of disappointment to make a man cave. He sighed. "It's for access and mobility, but you don't need to worry about it. Everything is taken care of."

Her eyebrow rose. "Access and mobility? What're you planning? A military raid?"

He chuckled. "Partly. But I thought you didn't want to talk."

Her tongue darted out and licked her lower lip with wickedly slow precision. "Not about Asha and Rafer. They kill the mood." She grinned and moved a little closer to Logan. "What you got planned for me though.. that I'm willing to hear."

Logan came to kneel at her feet, his hands resting one on each of her knees, as his fingers caressed her through the fabric of his pants. "I have many things planned for you, Max." He winked. "Not sure you're ready to hear them all, though."

Gripping her hands into tight fists to stop herself from reaching out to him, Max curved her lips into a soft smile. "So, you've thought a lot about this, have you?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Haven't you?"

"You're sure of yourself."

"I've known you a long time, Max." He winked. "Besides, I have the kisses to prove it."

"That was a long time ago."

"Not so long." His hands slid from her knees to softly squeeze her thighs. He lowered his head to softly kiss the inside of her left leg, sighing as at last his lips were able to come in contact with her, even through the separation of fabric.

He slipped her legs further apart, resting his head against her right thigh as he let his fingers trail over her hip and stomach, drawing non-sensical patterns against her body. Her whimpers and sighs were like nothing he'd ever heard, his heart beating harder and his fingers trembling as he deepened his touch. He examined the belt on her waist, sliding his fingers across his black pants, learning her slim body without actually allowing his fingers to wander into her most sensitive spots.

"God, Logan, you're evil," she whimpered, as he pulled his hand away from her abdomen, returning his touch to her thigh.

He shifted then, trailing his lips up over her hip to lay little nibbling kisses across her stomach. His eyes grinned at her wickedly as his chin pressed intimately against her, ripping a soft cry out of her throat. "I told you to trust my taste in clothing, Max. Soft, loose pants." His grin spread.

She was beyond words as his body lifted, and she found one breast engulfed in his hot mouth. Through the thin material of the dress shirt, his tongue unerringly found her nipple, and Max found herself helpless but to whimper and moan as he sucked and nibbled at her with a hunger she didn't know he possessed.

Another cry slipped past her lips as his hard body pressed between her legs, and she felt his chuckle against her sensitized flesh when her hips rocked against him.

"Now you're catching on," he murmured, pressing himself harder against her. She could feel the strong planes of his arousal as he ground himself into her, and her chest heaved against his lips. His hands moved down to control her hips, and he smiled up at her as he moved away. He paused a moment, catching his own breath, as he looked at Max with love.

"You're a fucking genius." Max's words were harsh, but her voice was light, and her eyes glazed as she peered down at him with a smile.

Logan bowed his head, laughter sparkling in his eyes. "And to think I've only just begun. I have a whole lot more than that planned for us, Max. Was just giving you a taste."

She bit her lip, one of her legs wrapping around Logan to softly stroke his clothed back with her bare foot. "I take it back then. You're an evil genius."

He chuckled then, pressing one last lingering kiss against Max's thigh, before pushing back and climbing to his feet. Max watched him from her somewhat prone position on the sofa, before she straightened, and took a deep breath.

"What's next?" Her quiet voice reached Logan's ears as he returned their wine glasses to the sink in the kitchen.

His eyes were twinkling merrily as he poked his head out to meet Max's gaze. "Do you trust me, Max?" She nodded wordlessly. "Say the words, because I need your implicit trust for what I have planned."

Her voice never wavered as she met his eyes unerringly. "I trust you."

He cocked his head towards the bedroom, before walking forward slowly. "Then follow me."

Her brows furrowed in confusion, but she did as she was asked, following Logan the last few feet into his bedroom. She gasped as she looked around, pleasure filling her features. "What did you do?"

He shrugged sheepishly. "You may be in heat, Max, but I'm not planning on treating you like an animal. No matter how this may be, this is our first time together. I wanted it to be something you'd remember."

She smiled softly as her eyes took in the candle lit room. Shadows played over every wall, the bed was lit in a golden glow, and somehow Logan had found rose petals to spread across his bed. She half laughed, half sighed, as she shook her head in disbelief. "How'd you do this?"

"I told you. I've never stopped hoping for us." His eyes were clear and honest as he watched her take in the room in amazement.

In an act of pure happiness, Max moved to him. Careful of his flesh, she rested her head against his chest, and for one long moment relaxed in his arms. Logan's arms tightened around her and they stood together, grateful that no matter what their problems may be, they have a chance to make it right.

Logan sighed and pulled away from Max's embrace, resisting the almost overwhelming urge to brush her hair out of her face. He smiled down at her, tenderly, and instead stroked her covered collarbone softly. "So, what do you say, Max? You ready to take the next step?"

Max was faced with the overwhelming need to giggle. "You're asking a girl in heat if she's ready to bang the gong?"

He grinned and shook his head. "No, I was asking if you're ready to show that you trust me." She drew her bottom lip between her teeth, and nodded, suddenly serious. Logan grinned. "Lie down, beautiful." He moved towards the bed and followed her progress with a hungry gaze. "I promise you're not going to regret this."

She laid back without argument, her body screaming for attention, and her heart breaking with how much care Logan was showing her. Did she trust him? How could he possibly ask her that? She'd already given him her heart.

~~~TBC~~~


	4. Chapter 4

Breaking the Ice  
Part Four

Max laid back upon the bed, breathing in the scent of the rose petals surrounding her, coupled by the undeniable scent of Logan Cale himself. She sighed with pleasure, mere anticipation drawing from her what nights of one night stands had never been able to bring to life. The proverbial "they" had always said sex was different when one was in love, and Max was beginning to believe.

Logan moved to the bed beside her, his fingers worshiping the soft planes of her stomach as he casually toyed with the soft leather belt holding his pants to her body. He kept his gaze locked on hers as he slipped the belt from its loop, pulling it from her waist. He fingered it thoughtfully, hesitating a moment, licking his lips as his eyes questioned her trust.

"What?" Max's voice was gentle, urging Logan to say what he had to say.

"I've thought about this... a lot in the last hour or so. This is why I asked you to trust me."

Her eyes narrowed as she gazed at the belt. "As long as you're not gonna try turning me into your whippin' girl to get your jollies, I think we'll be okay, Logan."

He chuckled, but his voice revealed his tension. "We're going to need to keep your hands and legs immobile for this to work properly." He chewed his lip slowly. "As unromantic as this may sound, I need to know exactly where your flesh is in relation to mine to cut down on the danger ratio."

Cluing in, Max giggled. "So you wanna tie me up, is that it?" He lowered his gaze, and nodded. "At this point, you could pretty much bring out hand cuffs 'n chains and I wouldn't argue. Do what you gotta, Logan. I trust you."

He paused a moment, pulling a thick pair of gloves off the nightstand before running his hands up her arms. He clasped his covered fingers around her wrists, pulling them up to the headboard with gentle pressure. He glanced down at her, meeting her trusting smile with a small smile of his own, and gently wrapped the soft leather of the belt around her wrists. A moment later the belt was attached to his headboard, and Max's hands were effectively immobilized.

"If you feel uncomfortable at any moment, tell me." His voice was low and steady as he continued to caress her arms, making sure she was comfortable before moving away.

She tugged slightly at her bond, and flashed him a quick smile. "Kinda kinky." Her laughter was light and melodious as she watched Logan blush. She wiggled her toes at him as he backed away. "Gonna finish the job?" She winked. "I'd do it myself, but I'm kinda tied up."

Logan laughed quietly, the last bit of tension beginning to ease out of his body. Two of his neckties rested on the night table and he picked them up. In moments her ankles were secured to the baseboard of his bed, the same gentle knots as on her wrists, holding her legs in place. "Doing all right?"

She closed her eyes and shook her head in amusement. For a guy who'd come up with this in the first place, he was certainly hesitant about putting his ideas into motion. "Logan, if this is the kinkiest your mind gets, I'm gonna have to start giving you lessons in life. I'm fine. I won't be fine if you've just tied me here to get out of helping me though. Girl in heat... need attention!"

He leaned down close to her, allowing himself a moment to stroke her cheek with his gloved finger. "Have I ever told you how amazing you are?"

"Yeah, yeah, genetically enhanced killing machine with heart. Got it." She lowered her gaze as she could feel her own blush creeping across her cheeks. /He has to go 'n get all sappy, doesn't he?/

"You sell yourself too short, beautiful." He smiled down at her, and pulled the thick leather gloves from his hands.

She watched him closely as he returned the gloves to his end table, and picked up something clear. She frowned. "Logan?"

He chuckled a little ruefully as he held up the long, thin latex gloves for her examination. "Again with the lack of romance, I'm afraid." He shrugged. "This was the only thing I could think of that would let me touch you and still be safe."

She sighed, but her face betrayed no disappointment. "At this point, I'll take anything I can get." She eyed the gloves a moment before raising an eyebrow. "Hand condom?"

Logan laughed sharply, his nerves making the joke funnier than it actually was, but Max had done her job. She eyed him wickedly from her prone position as he rolled up his sleeves and slid the elbow length gloves up first one arm, and then the other. Not caring for the feel of the latex against his own flesh as he tried it out, he reached for a bottle of oil on the nightstand and carefully softened the plastic like substance. Tentatively, he reached out, drawing a soft finger down Max's cheek. She sighed quietly, closing her eyes, reveling in Logan's gentle touch. He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ears, his eyes lighting brightly with the pleasure of such a small movement. /God, we've been denied so much./

"What's the verdict, Judge Cale?" Max's eyes searched for his gaze as his fingers were removed from her flesh.

He smiled down at her. "I think this is actually going to work."

She giggled. "Too bad you couldn't wrap your entire body in that stuff. Would make things interesting."

He grinned, his voice teasing. "I'll talk to Sebastian in the morning. For now this will have to do."

Logan sat above her, beginning soft feather light touches at her face. He traced the delicate settings of her eyes, her sweet little nose, and her full lips. His touch drew down to run across her jaw, and his hand opened to softly stroke her entire throat. He loved the feeling of her pulse against the palm of his hand, feeling her every breath and every swallow as it passed by. He smiled down at her, tracing the delicate strength of her collar bone, over her shoulders, and back again. She drew in a sharp breath as his fingers once again found her breasts, and softly began to knead them in a loving caress.

He lowered his mouth to her breast, claiming her nipple in between his warm lips as he suckled her through the fabric of his shirt. She whimpered loudly when one hand tormented her right breast, while his mouth lathered her left breast with aching attention. Her hips shifted and for the first time she pulled against the bonds on her legs as she tried to capture Logan's body. His tongue darted out to tease her nipple one last time as he raised his eyes to her face. "Uh uh. Need those legs where I can see them, beautiful." When he lowered his head once more, it was to tease her right breast, her left breast now abandoned to be tortured by the cool air of his penthouse over her now dampened shirt.

When her body shivered and arched up against him, Logan's smile was patient, and he pulled away. Her dark nipples stood out proud against the now sheer white shirt, and his tongue traced over his lips in pride. Max groaned softly, desperately trying to bring him back to her body, but having no way to take hold of his retreating form.

"Logan!" Her plea was more a whine than a cry, but Logan hadn't gone far. He eased his body between her spread thighs, and returned his hands to her body. His hands warmed her cooling breasts with gentle caresses for long moments before sliding down to her stomach. He lowered his mouth to follow, nipping at her sensitized flesh with tender biting kisses. He kissed down her stomach, and nipped at her hip, making her arch and moan quietly. His hands held her steady, as he wasted no contact, stroking over her delicate bone work with loving tenderness.

His fingers grew close to her core as they ran down her thighs, making her whimper and plead with him for more intimate contact. He leaned down close to her, breathing in the intoxicating scent of her arousal, before allowing one gentle finger to slide up from her thigh to trace over her heated center. She gasped loudly at the contact, biting down on her lip, as his touch grew firmer.

"Jesus, God, more!" Her words were broken on gasps for air as her body arched and begged with Logan for more.

He chuckled softly. "Didn't realize you were religious, Max."

She growled, her dark gaze meeting his. "I'll take any help I can get if it'll get me out of these pants any faster!" It struck her then that her ankles were tied far apart. "Uh, Logan, how am I getting out of these pants?"

Again, he chuckled. "Trust me. I have everything under control."

He slipped off the bed, turning away from Max's gaze so that his own painful arousal was not blatantly evident. Tonight was for Max; his own completion could be cared for later. He shifted his pants quietly, trying to find a more comfortable position for his hardened appendage, smothering a groan as even contact with the fabric of his pants was near too much. He shrugged it off, instead switching his attention to yet another tool he had laying on his nightstand. He closed his eyes momentarily, thanking God for the many uses of house hold tools, before turning back to Max.

In his hands he held a pair of scissors, and he found his lips curving into a smile as she raised an eyebrow. "Guess that explains the pants," her breathless voice whispered.

"Eyes Only never misses a detail." He winked at her before moving to the foot of the bed, caressing her foot with a firm hand before lowering the scissors to the leg of her pants. The blades sliced into the inseam, separating fabric from fabric, as he concentrated on making sure the metal never came in contact with her delicate skin. He paused at the top of her thigh, giving her a saucy grin before removing the scissors and climbing back down the bed once more. He switched legs, again caressing her foot before beginning the slow destruction of her pant leg.

After what seemed like an eternity to Max, the only thing leaving her pants attached to her body was the seam resting tight against her core. She whimpered desperately as Logan placed a hand on her hip.

"You're going to have to stay very still, beautiful." He whispered to her as he slid the metal blades against the seam. She closed her eyes, gripping the leather belt that secured her wrists, as the cool metal grazed against her too sensitive flesh, making her moan desperately. Still, her hips never moved as Logan finished his work, and soon the scissors were dropped to the floor.

His gentle fingers soon found the button and zipper to her pants, opening them slowly until the material merely fell away from her body. His eyes didn't feast on her quite yet, however, as his fingers returned to the buttons of her shirt, and soon that too had fallen from her flesh. He leaned back, taking in her beauty as she lay naked beneath him, and he found himself breathless. "God," he whispered reverently, "You're so beautiful, Max."

He watched as a flush crept up her body, marveling at how even her chest flushed a pale red. Her eyes closed momentarily, drinking in his soft words, and a gentle smile curved her lips. Max's eyes flew open in an instant, however, as his warm touch slid between her thighs, dipping into her damp core, making her moan with pleasure.

"God, I wish I could kiss you." His words were like hypnosis as a single finger slid between her damp folds, entering her slowly. "I wish I could lower my lips to you and taste you." He bent so he was near enough that his breath whispered over her center, making her shiver in desperation. "I wish I could slide my tongue deep inside you, and savor the taste of your excitement." A second finger slid into her body and slowly he began to slide into a gentle rhythm.

Her head pressed back into her pillows as his fingers worked in and out of her body. His thumb found her clitoris and slowly began to roll against it as a third finger joined those inside her. "There's so much I wish I could do for you, Max. I wish it was more than just my fingers pressing into you, but you know that, don't you?"

She opened her eyes slightly, a low groan her only response as Logan pressed harder against the bundle of nerves his thumb had so unerringly located. Her hips bucked hard against his hand and she whimpered desperately. His free hand came up to softly stroke over her stomach, returning to worship her perfect, golden breasts.

Max's body screamed out with pleasure as he rolled her pebbled nipple between his fingers at the same time he pressed as deeply as possible into her core. She whimpered and moaned louder, her breathing coming in quick short gasps as her hips refused to remain against the bed. Logan grinned wickedly, turning his wrist so that the palm of his hand pressed against her clitoris with each stroke his fingers took deep inside her center. He moved further up her body as his fingers began to push her over the edge, his breath now whispering across her nipples as his free hand continued caressing and kneading her sweet flesh.

He knew she was very close; her eyes closed tightly, sweat glistening over every inch of her overheated body. Her breasts rose and fell swiftly, her lower lip caught tightly between her lips, as with one final stroke, and one final bit of pressure against her body, she fell, hard.

When she screamed his name, Logan thought his heart would stop. Her head arched back, her face a mask of pure pleasure as his name ripped past her lips and echoed off the walls of his bedroom. He'd never heard a more beautiful sound in his life, and he closed his eyes, burning it into his memory forever.

His fingers slowly continued stroking inside her until her climax had fully passed, and finally, reluctantly, he withdrew. He moved to sit next to her on the bed, his hands stroking down her body, comfortingly now, easing away her harsh breathing, and cooling down her flesh.

Finally, she opened her eyes, meeting his loving gaze. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips, and she swallowed hard as she searched for her voice. When she spoke, her voice was broken from the small aftershocks of pleasure that still coursed through her. "I was right, y'know."

He chuckled softly. Of all the words he'd expected, those were not on his list. "Oh, yeah? About what?"

"You really are a genius."

She yawned deeply, her eyes fluttering closed, and Logan had to smile. With gentle hands he untied her ankles, and then removed the belt holding her wrists above her head. She was deeply asleep by the time Logan covered her cooling body with his warm comforter, and slipped off to the bathroom to care for his own needs.

As much as he wished he could cuddle her, enjoy the feeling of her now relaxed body, he'd not yet figured out a safe way to indulge in that intimacy. Tomorrow he'd put his "genius" to work once more, and figure out something.

Tonight it was enough that he had managed to take the edge off her heat, for a short while at least. He hoped that she would sleep for a few hours at least, and allow his mind time to come up with something new to help her through the next stage of her heat.

He grimaced; and then there was the talk that he'd promised them both they'd be having in the morning. Truth of the matter was he loved Max, more than he thought possible, and hearing what she had to say about Rafer, and everything that had happened since her return, was likely going to hurt.

He glanced back into his bedroom, and couldn't stop the smile from gracing his face as he gazed down at her. Morning was a few hours off, just yet. For now he'd just enjoy what time they'd been given.

~~~TBC~~~


	5. Chapter 5

Breaking the Ice  
Part Five

Max stretched slowly, a low groan passing her lips as she turned over in the warm bed and sunlight stole away her darkness. She inched open her eyes, taking in the sight of the distinctly male bedroom surrounding her. A soft smile crossed her lips as the events of the previous night flashed back through her mind, and again she stretched, feeling the various aches in her body that existed from extreme overuse.

Logan hadn't lied when he said he'd take care of her. Each time she awoke through the night he'd been there for her, loving her, easing her down from the heights her heat and Logan's presence had taken her.

Glancing out the window, Max realized just how high the sun was in the sky. She quickly raised a hand to her mouth, smothering a yawn built from pure catlike satisfaction. She turned once more, her eyes traveling to the doorway, wondering exactly to where Logan had wandered.

With slow, fluidic motions, Max climbed to her feet, stepping into the bathroom to indulge in a long, cool shower. The heat still existed deep within her, but Logan's depthless imagination had quelled the hottest of the flames. In a few hours, the necessity for all of his loving actions would no longer exist, and that left Max to wonder how their relationship would withstand the pressure they'd built. How could they possibly go back to what they had been when now they've had a glimpse of all they could be?

When she stepped out of the shower, she found large, fresh towels waiting for her on the counter. She smiled softly, knowing Logan had placed them there especially for her use. An even larger smile graced her features when she spied the fluffy light blue robe hanging on the back of the door. She shook her head in amusement. Logan had obviously kept himself busy during the time she had been asleep.

She slipped into the oversized robe, resisting the urge to moan at the pure comfort of it all. Somehow it just felt so entirely right to wake up in Logan's bed, shower in his bathroom, dry herself on his towels, and have a robe set aside especially for her.

/You lose, Asha./ Max couldn't stop the petty thought from crossing her mind.

Max made her way slowly through the penthouse, her sensitive ears listening for any clue as to Logan's whereabouts. Almost immediately she picked up a steady chopping rhythm from the kitchen, and she grinned. Food. There was only one thing that Max wanted more than food at the moment, but she figured she owed Logan a break.

She stood at the entrance to the kitchen for long minutes, watching the flexing of his biceps beneath his tight black turtleneck as he expertly chopped vegetables for the omelets he was currently creating. She remained unnoticed as her eyes devoured him; his every muscle, his every movement, and his every sound became her feast. It wasn't until a quiet whimper slipped past her lips that he looked up and met her smoldering gaze.

"Morning, beautiful."

Logan allowed himself the small pleasure of grazing over Max's body with a pointed stare, loving the look of passion that flushed her cheeks and glazed her eyes.

"Hey." Her voice was low, filled with desire as she moved deeper into the kitchen.

Logan pulled his eyes away from her body, and turned his gaze back to the final preparations for their breakfast. "I was planning on serving you breakfast in bed." He smiled at the counter top. "But since you're up, why don't you make yourself comfortable in the living room."

She shrugged, instead pulling herself up to sit on the island in the middle of the kitchen. "Rather stay here."

Logan swallowed with difficulty, trying to force his concentration on pouring the omelet mix into the frying pan. A few moments passed in silence before Logan glanced back at her. "You doing all right?"

"Yeah, for a while."

"Time enough to eat? Or is it time for my already taxed genius to develop a new plan?" Logan's eyes flashed a wicked glint, and Max blushed.

"Heat isn't so bad if it's given into now and then." She grinned. "But you're right, I'm starving. Feed me."

Logan flipped the now finished omelet onto a plate, and handed it to Max. "Can you manage finding your own fork? I want to get my breakfast started."

"No prob." Max stretched out over the island and picked up a fork that hadn't yet been put away. She moaned with pleasure as the tasty omelet practically melted on her tongue. "God, Logan, I need to patent you."

He chuckled softly, "You're not going to think so after our talk this morning."

Her face darkened, and Max sighed. "You had to go 'n remind me."

"Sorry, beautiful, but I think we've hurt each other enough in the last months. If we don't talk this out, we're just going to end up causing more damage." Logan's eyes were sincerely apologetic, but a look of determination had set his jaw.

She nodded. "Can it wait till after breakfast? Asha's enough to kill even my appetite."

Logan inclined his head in understanding. "As I'm sure Rafer will do to mine."

Max glanced down at her omelet that suddenly seemed to have no taste. "'Course talkin about how we've been acting'll probably be even worse."

"I owe you an apology, Max."

"Damn right you do." Max shifted so that she was sitting cross-legged on the island, and she casually picked at the belt on her robe. "I was starting to think you didn't give a damn anymore."

Logan sighed, and glanced down into the frying pan. He shook his head, turned down the heat, and turned back to face Max. "C'mon." He took a hold of the sleeve of her robe, and helped her to her feet, directing her towards the living room. For once, Max's unfinished breakfast remained behind, forgotten.

Logan waited until Max was settled on the sofa before he perched himself on top of his coffee table. For a moment he refused to meet her gaze, visibly compiling his thoughts before finally he looked up. The look on Max's face made his heart ache; her chocolate brown eyes, so recently filled with passion and mischief, were now filled with the shadow of hurt. Still, she hadn't closed herself off to him, and that leant Logan the measure of courage he needed to say what was on his mind.

"I never for one minute stopped caring, Max. That's what my problem was." Logan's eyes blazed frustration as they pleaded with Max for understanding. "I never stopped to think what we could do about it while we were waiting, all that I could think of was the wait itself."

When she opened her mouth to speak, Logan held up his hand. "Let me finish before you say anything, or I may never find the courage to say it again. When you died, Max, for a minute I thought the world had ended. I've never felt pain like that, not even when I woke up and found that my legs were useless. Not even when my recovery didn't last. Not even when you were going to leave. If Lydecker hadn't dragged me out of there, I would have let Manticore take me back with you. You have to understand, Max, nothing mattered in those minutes. Not Manticore, not Zack, Syl or Krit, not Eyes Only, and certainly not me. I cried for you." At that her eyes went dark with misery, and her hand rose sub-consciously to rest against his clothed thigh. He smiled at her sadly, and cleared his throat before continuing.

"Asha showed up not much after that. She needed help, and I needed a friend that didn't remind me of you, but that's all she's ever been: a friend. I know she's not the most gracious of people, or the toughest, but she is a friend. I'm also aware that she wants to be more, but, Max, believe me when I say she never had a chance. Even when you were gone it never crossed my mind." He sighed and leaned forward, his fingers stroking the soft material of her robe as his hands rested on her thighs.

"When I turned around that night and you were standing there, at first I thought I'd finally gone insane. Then you were in my arms, and it was so right. Then I was dying. After that, my brain just shut down. I couldn't believe that after all we've been through, they took away even my chance to touch you. I could have lived with not kissing you, I could have survived not making love with you, but how could I live with not even being able to brush a piece of hair out of your eyes? Or hold you when your seizures strike? How?" He cast his eyes downward, bringing one hand up to brush through his hair as his other hand tightened on her knee. "All I want to do is touch you, Max. I need to touch you to make sure you're still really here and I'm not crazy."

He dropped his free hand back to her leg, and lowered his body until he was on the floor and his head rested in her lap. "I can't deny that I've been an ass to you. I'm not even sure why I took it out on you when none of this is your fault." He couldn't meet her eyes as his voice dropped to a whisper, and one last confession was made. "And after you met up with Rafer... I was angry, all the time. He doesn't deserve you, Max. Hell, after the way I've treated you, I don't deserve you."

Max's first instinct was to tell him, damn straight, but she smothered the comment, for once allowing Logan a serious moment. She wouldn't get anywhere in the miserable drama that was her life if all she ever did was run. Instead she allowed her fingers to stroke his shirt-covered shoulder as she mulled over all Logan had to say.

"I guess I haven't exactly been a ray of sunshine, myself." Logan chuckled, and raised his head to meet her eyes. "First, you should know, Rafer's just a distraction. Tell you the truth, he kinda annoys me sometimes. It's just nice to pretend I'm a normal girl every coupla days, y'know? Not some bad ass mutant soldier with a built in bug engineered to kill the only guy I've had a thing for in ages." Logan's lips curved into a smile, and Max shrugged self-consciously. "Anyway, point is, we both gotta to kick the 'tudes and get our acts together. Or this," she gestured to the air between them, "whatever we're heading for, is gonna go poof before we get there."

Logan leaned away from Max and returned to the coffee table. "So, no more pettiness about Asha and Rafer, agreed?"

Max's lips curved into a pout, but her eyes shone with an evil glint. "C'mon, you gotta let me hit her back if she leaves herself open."

"Max..."

"Logan, you can't ask me not to be me." Her face was a mask of childlike innocence, and Logan was forced to laugh.

"Only if she leaves herself open."

"Deal." She lifted an eyebrow. "And no more wasting time sulking? We're gonna work to find a cure instead of getting pissy about the virus?"

He nodded sheepishly. "Deal."

Max cocked her head to the side. "Isn't this the part where we get all weepy?" Her eyes glinted with dark humor. "And then have really kinky make up sex?"

Logan chuckled. "I'm pretty sure we covered that last part... many times."

Max pouted. "C'mon, Logan, never had a lover's quarrel before, don't deny me the good parts."

Logan's eyes darkened to deep pools of blue, and he lowered himself to his knees once more, his fingers finding their way to Max's thighs. "When you look at me like that, Max, how am I supposed to deny you anything?"

Her hands slid across his chest and down his arms, her fingers digging into his biceps. A wicked little smile softened her features, and she followed Logan to the floor. "I think I'm gonna like our new arrangement."

Both their heads turned suddenly as a key slipped into the lock of the front door, and Max sighed while Logan pulled away. "New rule: No key for Asha."

Logan looked at her with regret, and shrugged helplessly. "Ten minutes, Max. I promise."

Max rolled her eyes good naturedly, and climbed to her feet. "Ten minutes. Ditch the blonde 'n meet me in your bed." She bent down, dragging a finger over his chest. She lowered her voice, her whisper so sultry it sent shivers down his spine. "You're not the only genius in this 'ship, Logan."

~~~FIN~~~


End file.
